For the fullsize SUV segment, 2015 will be a model year full of facelifts. Along with GM's 2015 Cadillac Escalade, GMC Yukon and the Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban, and we can now add into the mix the 2015 Lincoln Navigator. The fullsize luxury SUV, first introduced in 1997, receives a refreshed, more rounded front end with a split-wing grille and newly designed hood for 2015 and a more refined rear end with jewel-like LED taillamps that extend the width of the vehicle. Exterior design changes align the Navigator with new Lincoln design DNA. Puddle lamps create a “welcome mat” that illuminates the entry and exit area below both front doors, adding an elegant touch appropriate for a luxury vehicle.

Perhaps the biggest highlight of the 2015 Navigator will be the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engine that will replace the 5.4-liter V8. The twin turbocharged, direct injection EcoBoost is estimated to deliver at least 370hp and 430 lb/ft of torque; best-in-class towing is expected. Mated to the EcoBoost will be a six-speed automatic transmission with Lincoln’s SelectShift, which allows for the manual shifting of gears if desired. Four wheel drive and rear wheel drive configurations will be offered. An available Control Trac Four-Wheel-Drive system will enhance handling, as will standard electric power-assisted steering.

The 2015 Navigator will make its first public appearance at the Chicago Auto Show on February 6. Production at the Kentucky Truck Plant in Louisville, Kentucky, will begin late this summer, with the luxury SUV hitting showrooms in early fall.